TDC gives study 3 more months

Wednesday

The St. Johns County Tourism Development Council has told the consulting firm hired to help increase tourism they want to hear the truth, not what the group thinks the TDC wants to hear.

They also want the firm, PGAV Destination Consulting, out of St. Louis, Mo., to do more research on St. Johns County and talk with more people.

To get that, the TDC told the firm at a meeting Monday they were willing to allow the company an additional three months.

"You're a big enough firm to do your own research," Bill Hughes of Ponte Vedra Beach told the consultants after noting they were using, in part, past research information.

He also questioned why the group's presenters talked about working with TDC members and getting their input.

"Is that what we're paying you for, or are you willing to stand up and make recommendations?" Hughes asked.

Hughes got quick backing on his stand from St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles.

Boles said he wanted PGAV to "not tell us what we want to hear but what we need to hear."

It has been almost a year since PGAV was chosen to do the $300,000 Destination Master Plan study. Their mission is to analyze the county's tourism marketing strategies and current bed-tax funding and allocations, and to make recommendations for the future. The analysis is done and the product development phase, including coming up with ideas, has just gotten under way.

Now, it looks like the firm will have to go back and do some more research.

Since early on there have been complaints that PGAV has not talked to enough people. TDC members suggested they "take another pass" at talking with those in culture and arts and "spend a little more time" with the representatives of the historic community.

By one count, PGAV has only done work in the county nine days.

St. Augustine hotel owner John Yanni suggested performance indicators and more measurable data are needed to answer questions such as whether events increase attendance and overnight stays.

At the heart of some of the questions is whether the emphasis should be on day trippers or those who stay overnight.

"Overnight is what we have to pump up," member Scott Bartosch said, reminding listeners that "heads in beds" provides the money for TDC.

PGAV officials told the TDC that marketing efforts for day trippers and overnight visitors would require different approaches.

Another challenge they face is trying to brand the county. PGAV representative Chris Cavanaugh said it was a "significant challenge" because of the obvious diverse nature of St. Johns County.

PGAV was scheduled to present a final report to the TDC by the end of the year, but that changed Monday. In May, commissioners decided they wanted to make changes in the structure and organization of the council. That led to a delay of a couple of months.

"The only reason you lost time is because we shut you down," Boles said, suggesting the deadline be extended until the March meeting. The delay will not cost the county any additional money.

"We may feel we're (tourism) experts, but most of us aren't ... Do the work, evaluate the data, present your plan and then we'll go at it," Boles said.

PGAV will be attending each meeting of the TDC from now on, said company officials.

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